Lawsuit over Long Island child's death details what school officials allegedly knew
A new federal lawsuit reveals troubling details about what school officials and child protective services allegedly knew before the death of a 7-year-old Suffolk County girl.
Jor'Dynn Duncan died in December after allegedly suffering months of torture and abuse in the home where she had been placed by the court.
Soft-spoken and fighting back tears, mother Portia Duncan echoed her attorneys, who called her daughter's death from an infection after more than 90 injuries a system-wide failure.
"I didn't know anything that was going on," Duncan said.
Her lawsuit accuses Suffolk County child protective services and the Bayport-Blue Point School District of ignoring signs of abuse.
"This was a complete and total system failure," attorney Heather Palmore said.
According to the lawsuit, Jor'Dynn told school staff that her caregiver hit her, yet they failed to report the abuse.
"Jor'Dynn complained about being hit and having food thrown at her by Emily Kelly. The school did nothing," attorney Derek Sells said.
Jor'Dynn went on to miss 58 days of school.
"The school never followed up to get the slightest bit of proof supporting these claims of sickness," Sells said.
Jor'Dynn had been placed with Kelly, her father's partner, after her mother lost custody amid drug use.
The lawsuit also says the drug ketamine was found in Jor'Dynn's system.
The lawsuit alleges CPS failed to tell family court they had abuse allegations against Kelly from the school district.
The school district and Suffolk County declined comment.
Kelly faces second-degree murder and other related charges. Her mother, 75-year-old Barbara Renner, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, and Kelly's 24-year-old daughter, Elyssa Seymore, is facing unlawful imprisonment and other related charges.
All three women have pleaded not guilty.
"She was in the care of the wrong hands, and she wasn't protected," Duncan said.
The lawsuit seeks $250 million. Duncan says she's also seeking systematic reforms that may have saved Jor'Dynn's life, such as stiffer penalties for mandated reporters who do not follow state guidelines and caseworkers who do not follow up on signs of abuse.
